- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Chatham Publishing (Sep 3 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1861761694
- ISBN-13: 978-1861761699
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.6 x 2.8 cm
- Shipping Weight: 599 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,968,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Book Description
Novelists from C. S. Forester to Patrick O'Brian have glorified Nelson's dashing frigate captains, but how much of their story is true? The author of this new volume on the nature of frigate command argues that the legend was very close to reality. Based on detailed studies of the appointments, training, and promotion of the Royal Navy's officer corps, he contends that frigate commanders were an elite group whose careers followed separate paths from their contemporaries. They exhibited specific and highly prized skills that were rewarded with fast-track promotions and resulted in the creation of one of the most successful military cadres in history. Often facing daunting odds, these frigate captains won the vast majority of their battles and a place in maritime lore. This book is a fascinating contribution to the broader understanding of the workings of Nelson's navy and will appeal to enthusiasts and historians alike.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Tom Wareham is a curator at London's Museum of Docklands.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great!,
By
This review is from: The Star Captains: Frigate Command in the Napoleonic Wars (Hardcover)
Most histories of this era carefully walk us through the major events of the period, laying out other events as necessary to advance the author's point of view. This book takes a different, and refreshing approach: it focuses specifically on frigate captains -- the dashing, courageous fighters who took the war to mouth of French harbours and allied shipping on the high seas. The is well written and is a quick read. But don't let the quick read fool you -- it's a great history worth reading.
3.0 out of 5 stars
More than I wanted, and less.,
By david milne (northeast, usa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Star Captains: Frigate Command in the Napoleonic Wars (Hardcover)
This is not a book for the faint hearted. As good as it is, and it is good, and well written, it is not a book for the casual, or even interested, reader. The book is filled with graphs, charts, and technical evaluations. if you know your captain, this is the place to find out why and when, and where he served. The book does not give enough detail to feel the spirit of most of these men. For that, look to the books titled "Broadside", or "The Sea Warriors".
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great look at a select group of naval heroes,
By
This review is from: The Star Captains: Frigate Command in the Napoleonic Wars (Hardcover)
"The Star Captains: Frigate Command in the Napoleonic Wars"is an unparalleled look at Royal Navy frigate captains, the officers who were the historical seeds for Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey and C.S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower. Wareham's interest in the subject began with his curiosity about Captain James Newman Newman, whose portrait hung in a stairway at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Seeking to learn more about this thoroughly obscure officer led Wareham beyond standard library books on naval history, and he soon realized that there was little published information about typical frigate captains. Wareham's research into the subject led to his Phd thesis and this book. What was the career of a post captain like? What did a career in the navy of this era consist of? What was the truth behind the popular images of Nelson's navy? These are the questions that Wareham sought to answer. Along the way, he provides a good deal of analytical data about frigate captains, including statistics on the length of service between passing for lieutenant and being made post, on the how many years a captain might serve as commander of a frigate, and on frequency of assignments to various duty stations. Prize agents' accounts for frigates' captures are tabularized. Family social backgrounds and professions of siblings are listed. All in all, Wareham's book is a treasure trove of information. He also describes various frigate battles and their aftermaths, and he discusses the careers of many unheralded Royal Navy captains. All in all, this is a first-rate resource for better understand the realities of the world so familiar from the works of O'Brian and Forester.
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